The Studies
With more than one-third of U.S. adults being overweight and a push from the Obama administration to fight rising obesity levels, this new study sheds light on budgetary concerns when it comes to healthy eating.

Previous studies were highly criticized for comparing the cost of food per calorie. These studies found that pastries and chips and cheaper than fruit and veggies. The newest study conducted by the Agricultural Department compared cost of foods by weight or portion size which reveals that grains, veggies, fruit and dairy foods are less costly than most meats or foods high in added sugar, salt, or artery-clogging saturated fat. The study found that carrots, banana, lettuce and pinto beans were all cheaper per portion than soda, ice cream, ground beef or French fries.

The Guidelines
Ending the day with a well-balanced meal is important. This is your last big change to take in any nutrients you may not have gotten enough of during the day. For example, if you have pasta primavera for lunch, be sure to include 3 to 4 ounces of protein for dinner. If you didn’t get in all your fruits during the day, make sure to add one for dessert.

The Guidelines
The guidelines for lunch are pretty similar to breakfast. You want to make sure half of your plate is filled with fruit and veggies, ¼ with grains and ¼ with lean protein. Although the MyPlate photo shows milk as a side beverage, it’s not a must at every meal. You can get in your dairy in the form of low-fat or nonfat cheese or yogurt too.

Keeping track of the good stuff you put on your plate just got easier.

Keeping healthy eating goals on track just got easier thanks to the USDA’s free online food-and-exercise log, SuperTracker. This new tool uses the government My Plate recommendations to dole out eating advice, as well as quality nutrition information.

The SuperTracker’s main features include: a food tracker, a physical activity tracker, a weight manager and a Food-A-Pedia containing around 9,000 food items that have been analyzed for nutritional content by the USDA.

“If it says ‘burrito with whole-wheat tortilla,’ we did the calculation to know the exact amount of whole grains that contains,” says Dr. Robert Post, Deputy Director of the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. “That is very different than most databases that rely on the nutritional facts on product packages.”

Customize advice based on age, weight and gender, plus set goals, journal, track weight and even receive virtual coaching with recommendations on what to eat and how much to exercise. Get detailed reports of nutrient intake over time or simply find out how many calories are in your upcoming meal. Mobile apps are being developed, Post says. Until then, share progress on Facebook and Twitter.

More plants. More whole grains. Less meat. The USDA’s 2010 update to its nutrition guidelines recommends a diet that sounds like it’s straight out of a Michael Pollan essay, but how do they affect you? Well, the guidelines, which are updated every five years, provide nutrition advice and advocate a diet that will reduce the nation’s risks for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The recommendations are also used as a standard in federal programs, like U.S. school breakfasts and lunches. Here are 5 things you need to know about the new guidelines.